Charity information: Medic Assist International

Need

Government does not provide home based palliative care. The concept is poorly understood in the region. Freda Carr Ngora Hospital and FADO-T (local NGO) see the need of very poor rural communities suffering with high incidence of HIV and cancer for the service but do not have the resources. Clients suffer stigma, isolation & severe hardship. MAI plans to fund the project for a period and advise the indigenous leadership to develop local sustainability.

Solution

A significant number of clients will receive care that will restore dignity and hope. Local providers will receive resources to deliver services and, longer term, be helped towards these services becoming locally sustainable. The local Health Authority are fully supportive of the initiative.

Activities

Impact

1: An improved quality of life for a minimum of 100 clients ever year, demonstrated by their psychosocial and physical condition.
2: An improved level of health education among these communities, measured by a decline in HIV incidence locally.
3: A shift in Health Authority priorities, shown through some funding for this project from 2015.

Risk

There is a health risk to CHWs. The consumables budget permits purchase of gloves etc to obviate the risk.
The project is highly dependent on the quality of supervision. An excellent highly qualified nurse is available to lead the project. Her commitment is evident in the work she has done in this area on a voluntary basis outside of her paid employment. The other nursing staff we will employ give cover if needed.

Reporting

All supporters who wish can receive a regular email update at least quarterlyy with statistics and stories. If needed, a quarterly report can be sent via snail mail.

Location

Ngora District is in eastern Uganda. There are a number of poor and isolated rural communities which are the focus of this project.

Beneficiaries

No official statistics exist for the rural villages to which the project is aimed. These communities are poor and marginally self sufficient. Typically those suffering with HIV/Aids are stigmatised and isolated, leading to neglect & abandonment. Many people die alone, having spent their last resources on unproductive assistance from traditional healers.

Why Us?

MAI has learned of this project through a Ugandan studying in the UK who initiated the project. Its scale is suitable to our modus operandi and we have a similar project in KwaZulu Natal which may facilitate mutual learning about standards and best practice.